The Human Cost of Amazon's Fast, Free Shipping (NYT)

[Coventina]

4. I think (this is guessing on my part, I admit that) Amazon is trying to lessen the last advantage

brick-and-mortar stores have over it, which is instant gratification.

You see something, you want it, you buy it, and you carry it triumphantly out of the store.

It's hard to compete with that, aside from promising that your thing will be in your hands later that day or the next day.